by John Kindred
– Publisher —
“Shred is not dead!” is the proclamation of Shredguy Records. With the release of Adrian English’s third, mostly instrumental album, Total Chaos, both English and Shredguy Records put their money where their mouth is. Following up Innerplanetarium, English’s continued musical explorations journey down technical avenues requiring maddening skills to produce sonic chaos.
Total Chaos contains 13 new songs, with minimal guests this time around and plenty of jaw dropping guitar solos and riffs. Produced by English the CD features guest guitarists Tony Lopez on “Brutect” and “Enter Psych Bender” and Rian Wihantama on “The Nine Yard Belt.” Vocalist GodGray 9.0 appears on the song “Brutect.”
Sensory overload is a good way to describe the 13 songs of Total Chaos. For the uninitiated the music is jarring, angry and unapologetic. The music is a blazing display of heavy, intense riffs combined with searing fret-board solos, where melodies quickly evolve into hypersonic display of technical prowess. English does stuff on the fret-board that many only wish they could do.
It is a mind-numbing jaunt through songs that average five and half minutes. Total Chaos isn’t “easy listening” per say, but it is interesting listening. With duration of nearly an hour, those who make it through the entire CD in one go around will feel like they were driving during a NASCAR race.
What will listeners take away from Total Chaos? While the performances are amazing, music like this doesn’t necessarily leave you with a melody to latch on to and remember. What Total Chaos does provide is a testament to English’s technical ability and creative mind. With Total Chaos you certainly get what you paid for.
Genre: Instrumental Shred, Heavy Metal
Band:
Adrian English (g)(b)(programing)
Guest:
Tony Lopez (g)
Rian Wihantama (g)
GodGray 9.0 (v)(synth)
Track List:
1. Rubix Death Cube
2. Inner Changeable Mutilation
3. My Technical Slaughterhouse
4. Brutect
5. Sounds Like a Bad Painting
6. The Licentious
7. The Resurrection of Mother Wolf
8. Mini Gun Holiday
9. Inorganic Tri Mortal Reflux
10. Enter Psych Blender
11. A Distribution of Madness
12. Total Chaos
13. The Nine Yard Belt
Label: Shredguy Records
Web: http://www.shredguyrecords.bigcartel.com/product/adrian-english-total-chaos-cd
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10
One incredible guitar explosion to the senses. I bought 2 albums it was so good. Sit back and prepare your self for an onslaught to the mind. GREAT ALBUMB